Safety stop for vehicle lifts



J. M. CUNNEEN SAFETY STOP FOR VEHICLE LIFTS Filed April l5, 1950 NVENTOR. 2 James /l 2z/meen ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 21, 1933 UNITED `s'm'riszsi- PATENT ori-ICE ,1,936,107 SAFETY s'ror Fon VEHICLE LIFTs James M. Cunneen, Jersey City, N. J. Application April 15, 1930. i Serial No. 444,626

20` Claims.

My invention relates to vehicle lifts an object to provide safety means for vehicle on the lift.

My invention is particularly applic of the type usedin garages and has for retaining a able to lifts or service stations in which an automobile is run upon the lift while.

the latter is lowered and then the lift is raised to provide access to under parts of the car.

It is customary toy provide such lifts ywhich are applied thereto after the car has beenl run on the lift to prevent it froml These chocks or car stops sometimes a careless operator forge the chocks or else that there is danger with chocks sliding off'.

are manually set and ts to apply he sets them improperly so that the car may slide offwhen the lift is raised off the ground.

An object of my invention is to provide a chock which will be automatic in its operation moving into stopping position when the lift is raised and moving to clear-position when the lift is lowered to the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide to provide vmeans lowered it will serve to guide upon the lift and will tilt to present stops for adjustto allow for an Another object of the invention is to provide a--structure in which water will not collect to freeze and render the parts inoperative.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety stop and approach which may be readily attached to existing lifts.l

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment and thereafter will be pointed out in the In the accompanying claims. drawing;

the novelty of the invention Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a lift Vequipped with my impr Fig. 2 is a view in on the line oved safety stopi section taken substantially 2-2 of Fig. 6 showingv the manner of attaching the safety stop and approach to a lift and also showing when resting on xthe ground; l

Fig. 3 is a similar viewground;

Fig. 4 is a view the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

the position of the parts showing the position of theparts when the lift Aisraised olf the' in transverse section taken on Fig. 5 is a view in transverse section taken on Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the safety stop applied to a lift.

Referring particularly to ventional automobile lift of a type channel beams 10 supported on a Fig. 1, I show a concomprising plunger 11...

Means not shown) are provided for operating the plunger to raise and lower the lift. It will be understood that there are two channel beams 10, one for the wheels on the right hand side 0f the car and the other for the wheels on the left hand side of the car. In the particular form of lift illustrated, the beams-10 comprise ahorizontal web l2 and a pair of opposite side flanges 13. In some forms of lifts, however, the flange 13 on one side is omitted or else is much lower than theflange on the other side of the beam. My safety stop device is applicable to either type of lift and it will be understood `that one of these safety devices may be applied to each end of each channel beam.

My invention includes a bracket formed with a pair of arms 14. which are secured to the under side of the web1portion'12 of the channel beam. These arms are preferably channel-shaped, as shown in Fig. 5, and are secured'to the beam l0 by meansk of bolts 15. The' arms 14 project from a cross-'bar 16 whose upper face lies ush with the upper surface o f the channel web 1,2. Projecting outward from the cross-bar 16 are two arms 17 which are preferably' connected by a cross brace 18 near their outer ends, and provide bear- The advantage of this arrangement will be pointed y out hereinafter.

Projecting laterally from the arms 17 are lugs Fig. 4, is hinged to the 23 which are adapted to engage inward extensions or heels 24 of the lugs 21 .when the chock is in the raised position shown in Fig. l3, thus limiting the extent to whichl the chock can be raised.

An approach member 25 is also hinged to the arms 1'7, being provided with hinge lugs 25a jourvnaled on the pin 19. The member 25is of channelshaped section with the side flanges thereof ilaring outwardly toward the outer end of the member, as clearly shown in provided with anv outwardly extending toe portion 26 which is provided with a set screw 2'7 adapted normally to engage the under surface of theapproach member 25.

A link 28 is hinged tothe underside of the chock 20 and extends through an opening 29 formed in the cross bar A16. The free end of the link 28 is formed with a cross bar 30 adapted to engage the bar 16 when the chock is in the raised position shown in Fig. 3.

When the lift is in lowered position, the bar 16, and arms 17 will rest on the floor or ground and Fig. 6. Each lug 21 is depend on the evenness of the floor.

the parts will assume the position shown in Fig.

2. It will be observed that the web portion of the chock lies ush with the upper surface ofthe cross-bar 16 and the web of the channel beam 10. vThe approach member 25 assumes an inclined position, as shown, the angle of which will The set screws 27 are adjusted to bear snugly against the under face of the approach member when resting on the floor. When'the parts are in the position 'shown in Fig. 2 they provide an leasy approach .fromi'the ground level to the channel beams, so.

that a car may readily be run up on the lift. As shown in Fig. 6, the side anges of the chock are aligned with the said iianges of the channel beam and the side iianges of the approach memberare aligned at their inner ends with the side anges ci' the chock If desired, however, one of the side anges of the chock and also oi the approach may be omitted or materially reduced in height.

The approach member 25 is made heavier than the chock 20 so that when the Ylif-t is raised oi the ground the chock will tilt to the position shown in Fig. 3. .In this position, the chock will prevent the wheels of a car from rolling oi the lift.

While a certain amount of the strain on the chock is taken by engagement -of the heels 24 with the lugs 23 most of the strain is taken by the link 17 whose cross bar 30 bears against'the inner face of the bar 16.

It will be observed that the chocks come into position automatically, owing to the weight of the approach members 25 which bear against the set screws 27. When the lift is lowered, the approach members will be supported by the ground or foor, permitting the chocks to drop by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 2, so that thel car may be run oi either end of the lift. While the -approach members are being turned by engagement with the ground, from the position shown 'in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2, their forward edges will slide along the ground and for this reason said edges are rounded, as indicated at 31 in Fig. 2.

' It will be noted that a small space 32 is provided between the inner edge of the chock and the `cross-bar 16, the purpose of which is to -prevent water from collecting at this joint and freezing so as to hold the chock in lowered position. For the same reason,'the chock does not lie ilat upon the arms 1'? but has line contact with said arms by reason of the v-shaped webs 22, so that there will be a minimum 'of surface which'could rbe frozen fast to the arms 17. The bracket extending outwardly from the cross-beam 16 is an open frame work in which no water can collect, thus precluding the danger of having the parts freeze fast.

It will be observed that the safety stops are entirely automatic in their operation and do notdepend upon the attention of an operator, thereby overcoming a serious' defect oi safety stops as heretofore provided., f 1

Themember 20 serves a dual purpose: When raised'it acts as a stop or chock, and when lowered it serves as a guide for the vehicle wheels, being virtually a continuation of the approach member 25. The members 20 and 25 may be integrally connected but I prefer to provide a hinged connection between them so that in lowered position the member 25 may adjust itself 'to any unevenness of the oor without disturbing the position of member 20 which should preferably lie flush with the web 12 o1' the lchannel beam.

It will be understood that my safety stop is applicable not only to the particular form'of lift shown in the drawing, but also to other forms of liftsor elevators. I wish it to be understood, therefore, that the drawing is illustrative vand not limitative of my invention and that I am at liberty to make such changes in form, construction and arrangement of parts as fall within the e spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In combination with a vehicle lift. a chock pivotally mounted at one end of the lift-and normally lying ush with the lift, a counterbalance connected to the chock and normally resting on the ground, said counterbalance operating when the lift is raised to tilt the chock into operative position.

.2. In combination with a vehicle lift, an approach member pivotally mounted at one end of the lift and adapted to rest at its outer endon the ground when the lift is in lowered position, and an extension of said approach member adapted to swing upward to form a vehicle stop when the lift is raised. v

3. In combination with a vehicle lift, a' chock pivotally mounted at one end o1` the lift and nor"- mally lying flush with the lift, a weight connected said weight operating when the lift is raised to tilt the chock into operative position, and la stop to limit the tilting of the chock. y

' to the chock and normally resting on the ground, l

. 4. In combination with a vehicle ift. a chock pivotally mounted at one end of the ift and normally lying flush with the lift, aweight connected to the chock and normally resting on the ground, said weight operating when the lift is A member whereby the chock will be lifted by the weight of the approach member into checking position when the lift is raised.

lying in lowered inoperative position. and a con- Vnection between the chock and the approach 6. In combination with a vehicle lift. a safety stop comprising an approach-member pivoted to one end of the lift and a chock pivotally connected to theapproach member, they approach member being heavier than the chock and normally resting on its outer end on the ground when the lift is in lowered position, the' chock forming a continuation of the approach member and normally lying in lowered inoperative position, a connection between the chock and the approach member whereby the chock will be lifted by the weight of the approach member into chocking position when the lift is raised. and means for adjusting the connection between the approach member the chock.

' '7. A stop device for a' vehicle lift, comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to one end of the lift, a transverse hinge pin carried by the" ,and

bracket, a chock hinged upon said pin andvextending inward toward the lift, an approach member 'also hinged uponthe pin and extending outward, the approach memberbeing heavier than the chock member and normally resting on the ground whenthe lift is in lowered position,

and cooperative means on the chock and the rspprima whereby waesche-nrt is raised une chuck will be raised to operative positionby the weight oi the approach member. i 8.- A stop device iora vehicle lita-comprising a. bracket adapted to be secured to 'one end of the lift, a transversehinge pin carried by the bracket, a chock hinged upon said pin and. ex'-y tending inward toward the lift', the chock when in normal positionlying ilush with the lift, approach member also hinged upon the pin.A :extending outward, the approach member being) heavier than the chock member and normally resting on the ground when the litt is in lowered the approach member, the approach member being heavier than the chock whereby when the lift is raised the chock will be tilted tochocking position by the weight of the approach member.

10. A stop device for a vehicle lift; comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to the liit` and formed with outwardly projecting arms, a hoek normally lying on said arms and hinged, tl'ie-i outer ends o! the armaan approach member also hinged to the outer ends of the arms, the chock being iormedwith an outward extension, and an adjustable support between said extension and the under face of the approach member, the ap- 4@ proach member being heavierthan the chock ,ung weight of .thefanp 'ons end to thechock,

whereby when the lift is raised the chock will be tilted to chocking' position by the weight of the approach member. i l1. A stopvdevice'or a vehicle lift, comprising a bracket adapted to be attached to the end or be lifted by the weight of the approach member bracket adapted to'be attached to one end oithe litt, a chock .member normally resting on the bracket and hinged thereto at-its outer end, a weight connected to the chockand normally sup-` ported by the ground, said weight serving to tiltthe chock into. chocking position when the liitis raised, the bracket being formed with an aperture, and a rod passing through the aperturel andconnect'ed at one end to the'chock, the opposite end oi the brace rod being formed with ahead to engage the -bracket andlimit the ex` tent to which the chock may be tilted.

1L? In combination. with a vehicle lift, a safety stop comprising. an approach member pivoted to one end o! lthe litt, a chock pivotally connected to the approach member, the approach member being heavier than the chock and normally resting on its outer ledge onthe ground when` the lift is in lowered position, said outer edge of the approach member being rounded, the chock forming a continuation oi the approach member and normally lying in llowered inoperative position, and a .connection between the chock and the approach member whereby the chock will into chocking position when the lift is raised.

a ramp hinged thereto, al pivoted .chocking device. mechanism connecting the chocking-device with the ramp to swing the checking device on its plvot'when the ramp changes its.a.ngular relation-to the-p1atf orm.

' 16. The combination of, an automobile lift having runways,` ramps i'orthe ends thereof,

15. The combination of an elevating platform,

hingermeans pivotally connecting the ramps to the runways, recesses being provided between the ramps and the ends oi the respective runways above V'said vhinge means, and a chock member having means supporting` it to swing from a position in said recess'to a position above the level 115 of the runways. i s

17. The combinationof anv automobile lift l having a runway, a chock pivotally mounted at one end of the runway on an'axis transverse to.

that of the runway and normally lying in inthe lift, said bracket being formed with outwardly loperativeposition when the lift is lowered. and

extending arms, a chock formed on its under i'ace with ribs. adapted -normally to rest-upon said a bracket adapted to be attached to the end of the lift, said bracket being formed with outwardly extending arms, a' chock formed on its underiace. with ribs adapted normally to rest upon said arms, the chock being pivotally connected" at its outerl end to the arms, an approach member heavier than the chock and also pivotally conmeans tending to'tilt the chock to chocking position when the lift is raised. 18. iThe combination of. an automobile liit `having a runway, a chock pivotally mounted at each end of the` runway on an axis transverse t'o that o! the runway, each chock vnormally lyingin inoperative position when the lift is in lowered position, and means tending to tilt each chock` to chocking position when the lift is raised.

19. The combination .oi an automobile lift having a runway, .a ramp at an end of the run, way relatively movable with respect to the runway, a chocking device normally in inoperative A position'when the lift is in'loweredposition; and 135 means interconnectingthe ramp and the 'chocking. device for moving the latter into checking position when the lift is raised. 20. 111e combination o f an automobile lift having a nmway, a ramp at each end oi' the run- 140 way andrelatively movable with respect to' the runway,a checking device at each end ofthe ramp. said device lying normally in inoperative position whenthe lift is in lowered position, and

means interconnecting the ramps and the chock-, '145 ing devices for moving the -chocklng devices into hklnibodtlonwhenthe liitisraised.-

" .TAMS M. CUNNEEN. 

